Help reaching "at-risk" schools (fwd)

["Arthur R. McGee" <amcgee@NETCOM.COM>]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 4 Mar 1994 18:32:40 -0500
From: Linisa M. Armour <cg056@CLEVELAND.FREENET.EDU>
Subject: Help reaching "at-risk" schools

Reply-To: cg056@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Linisa M. Armour)

I have started a newsletter caled "Tomorrow's Class".
The purpose of the newsletter is to bring information
to the K12 education community that will help them
understand the concept of the online community.  I
especially want to reach the schools that have been
perceived as "at-risk".  I believe that for our national
education goals to work, they have to include plans
to bring the school systems on more equal ground.
I also believe that this can only be accomplished if we
get more citizens involved to bring their assistance into
the system.

There is a wealth of knowledge online along with the
discovery that there is a whole other world that can be
opened for educators and students.  Unfortunately, like
most other  things the less fortunate communities either
don't know that this exist or feel that it is an impossibility
for them.

As an African American female from the inner city public
schools, I want to show others that it's not impossible
and will be necessary for educational survival.  The
newsletter will be distributed to those already online and
to schools that are not.  It will have information on how
teachers learned this new way of communicating and
practical and fun instances of how it has helped them.  I
will include contacts for joint projects, penpal exchanges,
software reviews, and resources.  The newsletter is free to
anyone who is interested.  I will distribute it via email, fax,
or postal.

My next set of plans include establishing partnerships between
the schools and local universities that could give them online
access accounts, and also with businesses that would be willing
to fund the cost of telephone hookups and computer equipment.
I would also like to give basic instruction to teachers so that they
can feel comfortable and see the value.  Hopefully, I will be able
to obtain funding to do this.

If you know of schools or individuals that would like to receive the
newsletter and or submit ideas and suggestions, please contact me.
So far the response from the K12 community online has been great.
Some may say my goals are too lofty or impossible.  If that were true
I wouldn't be online myself, I wouldn't have a college education, and
I wouldn't be in the corporate world.  It can be done, but you have to
start with a goal and you have to care.

Thanks for "listening",

Linisa Armour Cole
cg056@cleveland.freenet.edu
P.O Box 470080
Broadview Hts., OH   44147